Animals

Yes, in California, even the animals can be weird. California boasts an impressive amount of weirdness amongst our furry, feathered and scaled friends.

Cowboys, prospectors, ranchers, and others told stories of strange animals that reside in California. Animals like the Cactus Cat and the Canteen Fish reside in our desert and were talked about over campfires.

We have animals that are out of place both residing and making random appearances in places where they don't belong. Animals such as parrots, camels, crocodiles, and alien big cats. We have animals of larger than life size ranging from salamanders in Trinity Alps to giant catfish and sturgeon in our lakes to giant winged birds flying through the skies. Apes of various types reside in our forests and deserts, living right alongside Bigfoot while the Megamouth Shark and other gigantic sea creatures swim in our waters.

If that wasn't enough, we also have the ghosts of our animals haunting out of the way locals. Ghosts of cows, deer, and camels lurk in our great state. Ghosts of dogs and cats still play in our pet cemeteries. And MGM lions seem to be buried all over Southern California.

California builds tunnels and houses for our toads. We have a giant fiberglass steer in Buttonwillow. In addition to finding an alligator snapping turtle in Southern California, a species usually only found in the eastern United States, we have a giant statue of a desert tortoise near Joshua Tree.

From animals in places where they don't belong to their bizarre last resting places to strange animal hybrids and even long forgotten weird animal history, California will serve up a delightful array of weird animal tales for you.